Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 12 2009:
As in the previous years, the All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO), together with the people including community leaders would be observing the 8th Unity Day at THAU Ground here on June 18 .
Before raising the curtain to the 8th Unity Day observance at THAU Ground, floral tributes would be paid to the martyrs at Kekrupat starting from 6 am.
A press release issued by the Co-ordinator (Publicity Sub-Committee) of the 8th Unity Day Organising Co-mmittee Dayananda Chingtham asserted that the June 18 anniversary is one function which AMUCO can never skip.
Reposing its faith in the principle "unity-criticism-unity", the AMUCO has been undertaking different movements setting the same principle as its goal.
At present, the people of hills and valley are in the process of criticism.
At such a stage, one should listen to the valid complaints and logical arguments of the people without any biases or misconceptions.
The first step towards bringing unity amongst the people of Manipur is helping each other and addressing the plight of each other.
To proceed towards this end and to avoid misinterpreting the significance of June 18, it is crucial for AMUCO to observe the Unity Day every year, it conveyed.
Reminding that the UNIDEP Campaign Committee constituted by AMUCO and other organisations with similar objectives has been undertaking an extensive campaign both in the hills and valley on the theme, Unity, Development and Peace for the last three years, Dayananda asserted that the same campaign was in line to the foot-steps left by the martyrs of June 18 movement.
The campaign was launched against all attempts to create fissures between the hills and valley.
Indeed, the campaign was a bridge to bring together all the communities of Manipur.
Confiding that the AMUCO put more faith in emotional boundary, it declared that unity can be a reality as long as the emotional bond among the people of Manipur is not snapped.
The artificial line of division drawn between the hills and valley is a vicious conspiracy aimed at witnessing a suicidal war amongst the communities and ethnic groups of Manipur.
Yet, the people of the hills and valley could read the intention of such designs inside out.
That was why, there was collective response to several issues that broke out in the State from time to time.
This was a result of studying all these issues jointly by the people and the AMUCO together, it asserted.
The political line adopted and followed by the AMUCO is an outcome of the two open dialogues initiated by the people.
The observance of June 18 anniversary is also an occasion to remind one and all that unity is a crucial necessity for Manipur.
It is also an opportunity to keep the collective decision of the people unaltered.
Otherwise, all the people of Manipur may get sucked in a suicidal war pushing themselves to the brink of extinction.
Exhorting all the people to continue working in the common interests and to shy away from pursuing ethno-centric goals, the AMUCO observed that the existing condition does not permit any ethno-centric perspectives or for that matter, activities based on such perspectives.
The existing reality calls for unity among the peoples of hills and valley, co-existence and collective struggle for uniform development.
Other than this, there is no hopeful future for any community of Manipur, AMUCO noted.
It further appealed to all the people of Manipur including students, employees, community leaders, Meira Paibis, clubs and other organisations to participate in the Unity Day observance.